


A little Can Go A Long Way

by cherishadamparrish



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Just Wants To Help, Alec deserves nice things, Established Relationship, Fluff, Lightwood sibling feels, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 05:42:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9705713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherishadamparrish/pseuds/cherishadamparrish
Summary: Or the one where saving the world doesn't always mean slaying demons.





	

Alec’s key jingled in his hand, as he reached the door. He was clad in casual clothing, dark jeans and a comfortable sweater, messy locks covering his eyes and obscuring his vision.  

“Magnus,” Alec hollered. “I’m off to the institute.”

He heard Magnus paddle behind him, far enough that they couldn’t touch but close enough for Alec to hear Magnus’s words clearly without the strain of yelling. Alec stayed stationed in front of the door, avoiding Magnus’s inevitable curious gaze. He knew Magnus could read him like a book.

“You’ve been going to the institute so much lately.”

“There’s been a lot of stuff going on recently.” Alec murmured, still facing the doorway. “You know I’d stay here if I could. I’ll be back really soon, only a couple hours at the least.”

He could hear Magnus shuffle forward, before pressing himself against Alec’s backside. Magnus sweetly kissed the back of Alec’s head. “Promise?”

Alec leaned back into the touch, the warmth a soft reminder of what he was leaving behind. “Promise,” he whispered before fleeing through the doorway. 

* * *

3 Project Runway episodes and 2 glasses of wine later, Magnus was interrupted from the bliss of reality tv from his phone lighting up, his ringtone shattering the pleasant hum of the television.

_Isabelle_

Magnus answered the call immediately, his thoughts diving down to the worst scenarios. 

“Hey Magnus,” Isabelle chirped. “Could you tell Alec that we’ve got some family thing tomorrow? He likes to know about this stuff so he can mentally prepare. I would’ve told him myself but he’s not answering his phone.”

Magnus curled his lip. “Isn’t he with you? He’s not here, he left for the institute hours ago.”

“What?” Magnus could hear the confusion dripping from Isabelle’s words. “He’s suppose to be at your place? He told us yesterday that he’d be there with you all day.”

“He told  _me_  that he’d be at the institute for a couple hours.” Magnus furrowed his brow, a million thins popping into his mind. “Was he at the institute the day before yesterday? Around 5pm?”

“No… He was-Well he said he was at your place.”

Magnus felt gutted.  _It wasn’t the first time this had happened_. What was going on?

“Well,” Magnus said, feigning indifference. “Be here in 30. Bring Blondie too. We’ve got some things to discuss.”

* * *

“Well at least we know he’s not getting hurt.” Jace jumped in, grazing his parabatai rune. “I would feel it.”

“Great.” Isabelle snorted sarcastically. “But we have no idea where’s he’s going. Or who he’s going with.”

“Who else would he be hanging out with that’s not us?” Magnus snapped.

“I don’t know, but this is all suspicious. Alec doesn’t lie about stuff, at least not like this. With how dangerous our job is, we make it a habit to always know where we all are.” Isabelle said. “I say we confront him about it.”

“We can’t just go and start interrogating him.” 

“He’s my brother, of course we can. We’ll do the good cop bad cop thing.”

Jace’s hand shot up. “I call bad cop!”

“No,” Isabelle huffed. “I’m bad cop, it’s more effective that way. Magnus’ll be good cop. You can just stand there looking pretty.”

Jace sighed dramatically, “When the package is this pretty, no one cares what’s inside.” 

* * *

Alec smiled as he strode back into the apartment, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He’d figured Magnus would be home, maybe they’d cook some dinner, and the two could fall asleep on the couch together. Alec felt  _drained._ He noticed the soft glow of light pooling from the living room and he quickly made his way over, jittery and excited and exhausted. 

When he entered the room, Alec froze comically at the sight in front of him. 

His sister was sitting in the chair across from Alec, looking at him pensively, her hands folded in her lap. Her eyebrow was tugged up, eying her brother suspiciously. Magnus was on the couch adjacent to her, stroking Chairman, who was seated on his lap, meticulously. Jace looked the most normal of the three, lazily leaning against the wall near the tv, a slight smile tugging on his lips. 

“Well, this isn’t weird at all.” Alec said lightheartedly, trying to diffuse the discernible tension. 

“Alec,” Isabelle crossed her arms. “Sit down. We need to talk.”

Alec looked at them warily. “What’s going on?”

“Where have you been?”

“Or rather,” Magnus added in a clipped tone. “Where have you been going?”

Alec looked startled, cocking his head. “What?”

Jace moved from the wall, looking at Alec curiously. “You’ve been disappearing a lot recently. And then you say you’re off to Magnus’s when you’re not.” 

“Or,” Magnus added bitterly. Chairman had scampered off when Magnus had started to inadvertently pet him with more force and Magnus completely forgot how the ‘god cop’ was suppose to act. “You say you’re at the institute when you’re not.”

“Just where the hell have you been going Alexander Gideon Lightwood?”

Alec scowled. “Is the full name really necessary, Iz? You do realize that I am an adult who doesn’t need to tell you every single detail of where I’m going.”

“We know that.” Jace responded softly. “It’s just you keep lying about where you’re going and we have no idea what you’re doing.”

“Or who you’re meeting up with.” Magnus growled, looking oddly defensive.

“You think I’m  _cheating_  on you?” Alec hissed, understanding the connotation instantaneously, straightening his shoulders rigidly.

“No, that’s not-” Magnus fumbled over his words. He heaved a long sigh, looking at Alec with sincerity. “I’ve been in relationships with unfaithful partners before and this- _this_  is how it always starts. I’m not accusing you of anything, you’ve just been leaving a lot without tell the truth as to where you’re going and you would have no reason to lie otherwise.”

Alec’s scowl disappeared, his eyebrows furrowing when he realized how upset Magnus looked. His face was make up free, his hair left down instead of spiked up. He looked tired and Alec wasn’t sure if Magnus looked like he was about to throw something or curl into a small ball. 

“I’m not a cheater.” Alec said with conviction, staring at Magnus with a relentless gaze. “You know that.”

“To be fair, I already knew you weren’t cheating.” Jace attested.

“At least someone doesn’t think I’m a cheating liar.” Alec glared pointedly at his sister. 

She put her hands up defensively. “I never said you were cheating. I’d like to point out the fact that you  _still_  haven’t told us where you’ve been going.”

Alec flushed under their scrutiny. “Okay, I’ve just-it’s not _bad_.” 

Isabelle stood up, jutting her hip out, tapping her fingers dangerously. Jace played the part of nonchalance to near perfection, save for the way his eyebrows dipped inquisitively, his lips pursing as if he was trying to read Alec before he had the chance to say anything. Magnus stayed silent, unmoving, his gaze unwavering.

“I guess I just thought you wouldn’t care or think it was weird,” Alec cleared his throat awkwardly. “But I’ve-I’ve been volunteering at this soup kitchen, I found it while I was out for a run, and it was crowded.” Alec looked at them sadly. “There were so many hungry people and so little staff, and I just impulsively asked if I could help. I just thought that sometimes saving the world doesn’t have to be all the big battle stuff, you know? You can help people in so many different ways and they’re so many people in just our city that could use some help. I don’t know,” Alec tugged on his sleeves, relentless biting his bottom lip. “I know it’s no demon slaying.”

Jace looked stunned. Isabelle’s face broke into a brilliant smile. Magnus was looking at Alec like he’d just noticed him for the first time.

“You...” Magnus trailed off, quickly moving towards Alec until they were mere inches apart. Magnus cupped both of Alec’s cheeks before he pressed their lips together. He pulled away peppering sweet kisses along the sides of his mouth and chin.

Jace groaned. The way his eyes lit up told Alec that Jace wasn’t annoyed in the slightest. “Please keep it PG.” 

Alec ignored Jace, staring at Magnus, a wide smile plastering across his face. “What was that for?” He asked breathlessly.

“ _That’s_  my brother.” Isabelle interrupted smugly.

Jace piped in, raising his hand. “Also mine.” 

“So,” Magnus laughed, feeling unmistakably content. “What is this place and where can I sign up?”

Alec visibly brightened, mirth pooling in his sapphire eyes. “You serious?”

“You said they were understaffed,” Magnus beamed. “And I’ve got some free time throughout the week.”

“I’m in too.” Jace grinned, shrugging his shoulders. “I look fantastic in an apron.”

Alec smirked. “How about a hair net?”

“I love a challenge.”

“Me too.” Isabelle chirped. “And I know Clary and Simon would love to help.”

“Wow,” Alec said breathlessly. “That’d be great. We could really use the help.”

“Now out,” Magnus looked over at Jace and Isabelle pointedly. “Your brother and I have things to discuss.”

“Do those things include shoving your tongue down my brother’s throat?”

“Izzy!” Alec flushed. “Don’t say that again. Ever.”

“It might.” Magnus ignored Alec, cocking an arrogant eyebrow.

“ _Magnus._ ” Alec stared, imploringly.

Isabelle skipped out of the living room and towards the entrance, not before pecking a sweet kiss against her brother’s cheek. Jace grinned, following her, ruffling Alec’s hair. Alec squawked, shoving Jace away, unable to fight the smile forming on his face at the fact that Jace had to reach _up_  to touch the top of Alec’s head. Alec looked ready to jest at Jace’s height, refraining from any comments when Jace’s expression said  _‘don’t you dare’_. Alec was in such a good mood, that he merely stuck his tongue out as the duo left, leaving him alone with Magnus, something that he had been wanted the second he walked into the apartment.

 


End file.
